How often do you actually keep to your commitments of prayer that you promise?
How often do you tell others you’ll pray for them, yet only spend a short time, if any in prayer then completely forgetting about the request and go back to your normal life?
How many promises have you broken because you have not kept your “end of the bargain” when it comes to praying for someone?
What is it that keeps us all from upholding these promises?
What is the central reason why many of us “forget” to pray and don’t dare approach the Father?
One reason could be that we are ashamed of ourselves.
We have so much going on with our lives that we force ourselves away from the Lord. We think that not constantly pushing towards the Lord is a sign that we aren’t “good Christians” so we feel ashamed and keep ourselves away out of fear of discipline. Even though that discipline is precisely what we need in order to follow after God with everything we have.
Much the same way we did as children growing up with our parents.
One memory I have of this takes place when I was around five. I always liked sugar and knew that I wasn’t supposed to eat it just plain. One day I found what I thought was sugar and grabbed a handful and snuck away. Unbeknownst to me, these little white pellets of “sugar” were in fact incents my mom had all over the house to make the rooms smell better. Good thing they caught me with that. If I were to actually have been better at keeping things secret, it could have gone very bad. But, nonetheless I still tried to hide because I didn’t want to be scolded. Yet sometimes a good scolding is all we need. It helps to define us and teach us even though it may hurt at the time.
“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
Hebrews 12:11
We must remember not to be ashamed! James 5:16B says: “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
Another reason we may have for not praying is that we do not trust that it will have any effect.
We say we believe in the power of prayer, we say we believe that God provides, yet we do not talk to God.
We are scared to tell Him how we really feel because we fear how mad He will be with us, or will not listen to us in our anger, or will scold us and say no to everything. (Even though sometimes, like when your parents said no to you growing up, NO might be the best answer.)
Do you see the problem with this outlook of God can’t handle what I have? It’s putting God into the same category as us. We think that God will hold grudges against us just because we tell Him how we really feel. He already knows, so why hold it back?
“I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of the LORD’s wrath. He has driven me away and made me walk in darkness rather than light; indeed, he has turned his hand against me again and again, all day long.”
Lamentations 3:1-3
Right here Jeremiah is blaming God for everything he has been going through. Blaming him for the grievances that have befallen him. To many of us today, this would seem like blasphemy in the highest. Blaming God for everything going terribly.
Are you kidding me?! How could you say that to God?!
But do you know why this is an important thing to understand? Because this means that God truly wants to know what we think. Obviously God knows what we think, but he wants us to tell Him!
(granted we understand that later in Lamentations 3 it says, “because of the LORDs great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.” Showing that there was praise given to God and understanding that he should not hold the blame.)
Do you know how big a blessing that is? To have a God who truly wants a relationship with us and wants us to come to him and tell him who we are and what we think!?
To think you can be as bold as Asaph in Psalm 74: “O God, why have you rejected us forever?”
Or as pleading as David in Psalm 51: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.”
Or even as seemingly self-serving as Jesus in Gethsemane:
“My father, if it is possible, may this cup [Isaiah 51:17-23] be taken from me.”
but we must also remember the next part that says “Yet not as I WILL but as YOU WILL.”
Jesus told God exactly how he was feeling, but he still understood he needed to do what God wanted.
Possibly even prayers of protection and assurance in the Lord:
“The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies. The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me; the cords of the grace coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me.”
Psalm 18:2-5
“Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD: [after the Egyptians were washed away in the Red Sea]
I will sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea. … you stretch out your right hand, and the earth swallows your enemies. In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling. The nations will hear and tremble;”
Exodus 15:1, 12-14A
We can even tell God it feels like he has forgotten us!
“My God, My God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest.”
Psalm 22:1-2
The thing about prayer though, is that it doesn’t have to be something that you continuously fail at.
As you begin to seek after the Lord, it will become more natural. It’s much like any relationship you have (at least most I have, haha).
First it may seem a little awkward and you’re not really sure what to do or say, but as time goes on, talking to the other person becomes as natural as thinking, or breathing. It’s just something that you do when your around them.
The fantastic thing about the Lord, is that He will always be around you, no matter where you are. So you will always be able to talk with Him!
Even before this, remember Romans 8:26:
“… The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”
So remember:
The more you talk with Him, the more you know Him.
The more you know Him, the more your understanding grows.
The more your understanding grows, the more Fruits of the Spirit will shine in your life.
“To pray is to change. This is a great grace. How good of God to provide a path whereby our lives can be taken over by love and joy and peace and patience and kindness and goodness and faithfulness and gentleness and self-control.”
Richard Foster, Prayer: Finding The Hearts True Home
Now with all this being said, it is perfectly fine to tell God how you are really feeling. But there must still be a certain amount of respect shown. There are always ways to share your feelings without completely flying off the handle. It is okay if you yell at God, but there must be a point after which you come to the realization that you must let your pride go and ask for forgiveness from that.
Prayer is not a free ticket to disrespect the Lord. It is a place that draws you nearer to Him, and allows yourself to be open to more of Him.
So now that you may have hopefully gained a little more understanding I pray that
“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.”
Numbers 6:24-26
“For too long we have been in a far country: a country of noise and hurry and crowds, a country of climb and push and shove, a country of frustration and fear and intimidation. And he [The LORD] welcomes us home: home to serenity and peace and joy, home to friendship and fellowship and openness, home to intimacy and acceptance and affirmation.”
Richard Foster
